X deactivates European Commission’s ad account after the company was fined €120M

In a fierce response to the European Commission's recent €120 million fine, X's Head of Product, Nikita Bier, has taken a bold stand. This fine marks the first enforcement action under the European Union's Digital Services Act, with the Commission labeling X's verification system as "deceptive." They argue that the paid blue checkmark feature exposes users to potential impersonation and scams. The Commission also criticized X for its advertising transparency, stating that the platform's advertising repository did not comply with the DSA's standards. As part of the ruling, X has been given a 60-day window to address concerns regarding its verification system, and a 90-day period to rectify issues related to ad transparency, or else face further penalties. Following the fine announcement, X's owner, Elon Musk, openly dismissed the ruling as "bullshit" and provocatively questioned the future of the EU with a tweet suggesting its abolition. In what many see as a retaliatory measure, X has now deactivated the European Commission's ad account. Bier claimed that the Commission exploited a dormant advertising account to post misleading content that misled users into thinking they were watching a video, thus artificially inflating its reach. He stated, "It seems you believe the rules should not apply to your account," and confirmed that the Commission's ad account has been terminated. Bier noted that the exploit used by the Commission has been patched, emphasizing that such an abuse was unprecedented. Although the Commission cannot advertise on X anymore, its original post about the fine remains visible, and the account continues to display a grey checkmark, signifying its status as a government entity.